The invention generally relates to mechanisms that remove and install nuts, bolts and other fasteners. More specifically, the embodiments described below provide tools and methods for the high speed installation or removal of fasteners.
Ratchet mechanisms are typically used to cause the small forceful angular rotation of a fastener, and then rotate the handle in reverse without rotating the fastener. By allowing for this repeated rotational motion, a user can easily remove a fastener without taking the wrench on and off. This ratcheting function is typically achieved by appropriately engaging and disengaging a ratcheting mechanism (such as a gear with teeth and a pawl interacting with the gear teeth in a desired manner). In several applications the available amount of rotation is very small due to physical constraints (e.g. working in tight spaces). This demands numerous back and forth angular rotations enabled by the ratchet mechanisms. In some cases, a full revolution may take up to 72 back and forth ratchet motions. More typically, an application may allow about 4-5 back and forth rotations per revolution. Given that a fastener typically requires several threads to be engaged and often includes additional threads for starting the fastener, removal with a standard socket wrench can often require many back and forth motions. This can result in approximately a minute to remove or install a single fastener. This slow speed can be an annoying and troublesome characteristic of ratchet wrenches, especially for mechanics or other individuals who deal with these type of fasteners many times throughout their day.
Often, when using a ratchet mechanism the fastener is very loose for most of the removal or installation operation. In these circumstances, the user must grasp the drive head to prevent it from turning backwards without ratcheting over the gear. This is an additional annoying characteristic of ratchet mechanisms.
There have been numerous previously developed devices for turning of a fastener using alternative motions. For example, certain devices incorporate the cranking or twisting motion of a handle portion, which is then translated into dive head rotation of a socket wrench. Similar approaches or methods do not presently exist for the box end ratchet wrenches or typical socket wrenches. Generally, prior approaches to this problem of fast spinning fasteners have all included rather complex and expensive mechanisms to create the necessary motion. As such, there is a need for a simple mechanism that allows for the faster spinning of fasteners which utilizes the existing structures of box end wrenches or socket wrenches.